Pickleball for Parkinson's

Hingham Pickleball club will be starting a new Pickleball for Parkinson’s sessions (PfP) specifically for people with Parkinson's. Accompanying adults are welcome to join the fun!

Sport England and the National Lottery have awarded us £1310 to fund the start-up costs of the project. This will enable us to purchase equipment and offer the first 12 weeks of these sessions free to all participants. Sessions will cost £3 per person thereafter.

We supply the equipment. You should wear non -slip sports shoes (eg tennis type court shoes) and bring water.

Sessions will be held at the Hingham Sports centres, with up to 3 courts available. Ample free car parking on site.

Each session is led by one or more of the Hingham Pickleball leaders who have gained the Pickleball leaders certification from Pickleball England. They will be supported by a group of volunteers, including a couple of volunteers with Parkinson’s who have already discovered what a great sport this is!

After play we hope everyone can stay and join us for what we are dubbing ‘après Pickleball’ . Thanks to some of our Pickleball bakers and the Hingham co-op supermarket tea/ coffee and cake will be on offer- also free to all participants and those accompanying them.

We will run the sessions via our club Spond group so we ask you to email [email protected], quoting 'PfP sessions' so we can send you the PfP sign up link.

Why Pickleball?

Regular exercise is a key element of living with Parkinson’s according to Parkinson’s UK.

Finding the right type of exercise that is fun is key to being able to sustain the activity; this is where Pickleball comes into its own. It’s a racket sport, played on a badminton size court with paddles and a plastic whiffle ball. The game is easy to learn and adaptable to different skill levels and physical limitations, making it a sustainable and enjoyable activity for many. 

It’s a fun and sociable sport and a great way to maintain mobility, stimulate the mind, and connect with others.

For those with no mobility issues, we anticipate you will be able to play full games of Pickleball by the end of an initial introduction session. The rules of the game can be adapted for those with some limitations in movement (double ball bounces, no lobs etc). We also want to encourage players who don't currently move so well, for example, if you use a stick for balance or have been inactive for a while. 

For players with limited mobility, we will run drills with Pickleball leaders feeding balls so don't worry if you aren't up to running around a court.